Rockville Catastrophic Injury Lawyer
After any accident that leads to a serious injury, you may understandably have concerns about paying for emergency medical treatment and making up for other losses in your personal and professional life. In the wake of a catastrophic injury that will never fully heal, though, you may have a much simpler priority: finding some sense of normality and comfort in a fundamentally altered world.
If someone else’s negligent conduct led to you to suffer debilitating and permanent harm, you may want to speak with a personal injury attorney who has experience handling cases like yours successfully. Representation from a qualified Rockville catastrophic injury lawyer could make a huge difference not only in how much compensation you can recover but also in what kind of life you are able to lead following the conclusion of your civil case.
What Makes an Injury “Catastrophic”?
While there is no formal definition for “catastrophic injuries” codified in Maryland state law, the term contextually refers to injuries that leave victims permanently disabled or disfigured in a way that drastically impedes their personal and professional life. Spinal cord trauma leading to partial or full-body paralysis is perhaps the archetypal catastrophic injury, both other forms of harm that might fit this description include widespread third-degree burns, traumatic brain damage, internal organ damage, and limb amputation.
There are no procedural differences between catastrophic injury claims and other types of personal injury cases, but the former almost always necessitates much more compensation for a much broader slate of damages. In addition to recovering for short-term losses like emergency medical bills and property damage, catastrophic accidents tend to result in immense long-term losses of earning capacity, consortium, and enjoyment of life, all of which can be difficult to valuate and effectively seek restitution for without help from a Rockville catastrophic injury attorney.
How Contributory Fault and Damage Caps Could Inhibit Recovery
Unfortunately, because state law does not formally differentiate catastrophic injury claims as a unique form of personal injury litigation, the same restrictions on recovery that apply to less severe cases also apply when a plaintiff suffers life-altering or even life-threatening harm. For example, under Maryland’s harsh approach to contributory negligence, any catastrophic injury victim found responsible for their own damages in any way is ineligible to recover compensation, even if they are only one percent at fault.
Perhaps more importantly, the damage caps set by Maryland Code, Courts & Judicial Proceedings §3-2A-09 limit recovery for non-economic damages following any non-fatal accident to $890,000 as of 2021. This means that even if an accident leaves someone permanently disabled and unable to work or even perform daily tasks without assistance, the maximum amount they could recover for a lifetime of “pain and suffering” is less than $1 million. Because of this, it can be especially important to seek help from a skilled lawyer when estimating the value of future economic losses from a catastrophic injury in Rockville.
Seek Help from a Rockville Catastrophic Injury Attorney
No amount of financial compensation can make up for a permanent loss of sensation, motor function, or cognitive capacity, especially if it stems from an injury caused by someone else’s misconduct. However, civil recovery can still be important to improving your quality of life as much as possible after this kind of incident, on top of obtaining some measure of justice against the person who wronged you.
A compassionate Rockville catastrophic injury lawyer could go over your options and discuss potential litigation strategies during a confidential consultation. Call today to schedule yours.
